Cdc53 is a scaffold protein for multiple Cdc34/Skp1/F-box protein complexes that regulate cell division and methionine biosynthesis in yeast

In budding yeast, ubiquitination of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor Sic1 is catalyzed by the E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme Cdc34 in conjunction with an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex composed of Skp1, Cdc53 and the F-box protein, Cdc4 (the SCF super(Cdc4) complex). Skp1 binds a motif called the F-box and in turn F-box proteins appear to recruit specific substrates for ubiquitination. We find that Skp1 interacts with Cdc53 in vivo, and that Skp1 bridges Cdc53 to three different F-box proteins, Cdc4, Met30, and Grr1.Cdc53 contains independent binding sites for Cdc34 and Skp1 suggesting it functions as a scaffold protein within an E2/E3 core complex. F-box proteins show remarkable functional specificity in vivo: Cdc4 is specific for degradation of Sic1, Grr1 is specific for degradation of the G sub(1) cyclin Cln2, and Met30 is specific for repression of methionine biosynthesis genes. In contrast, the Cdc34-Cdc53-Skp1 E2/E3 core complex is required for all three functions. Combinatorial control of SCF complexes may provide a basis for the regulation of diverse cellular processes.